Millwall were handed their first home defeat of the season on Saturday as Huddersfield Town rounded out 3-0 winners, after a very good performance against a tiresome and lethargic Lions side.
Club captain Alex Pearce rued the lack of end product shown by the Lions on a ‘bitterly disappointing’ afternoon at The Den, as Millwall slipped outside of the play-off places having just got into them, thanks to a 2-0 win away at Preston North End midweek.
Terriers Penned In Early On
Despite what was by their own admission, a ‘slow start’, from the home side – the Terriers were penned into their own half throughout the first 10 minutes as Millwall started with a high press that was causing the visitors problems.
Two penalty shouts were appealed for in this time with Jake Cooper and Shaun Hutchinson both being hauled to the floor from a Connor Mahoney free-kick and corner. Referee Gavin Ward was seemingly unimpressed despite the large shouts from the home side.
Town defender Naby Sarr did well to head away what was a dangerous delivery from Mahoney soon after the penalty appeals were waved away.
Mahlon Romeo saw his effort from the edge of the area sail wide of the goal as he intercepted a lose Huddersfield Town pass in what was the game’s first real effort on goal in a scrappy opening.
However, the home side couldn’t capitalise on their early pressure as the visitors grew into the contest. Josh Koroma benefited from a favourable bounce before unleashing a shot that Cooper did well to block.
Koroma found himself on the edge of the area again five minutes later and after some neat footwork to get away from a couple of Millwall players, took a shot at goal which Bartosz Bialkowski gathered easily.
Mahoney was at the forefront of the attack again for the home side when he wriggled past Huddersfield left-back Harry Toffolo before crossing towards the back-post where Scott Malone had made a late run to. Malone diverted his header towards goal, but it was tame and easily claimed by Ben Hamer.
Third-time Lucky For Koroma
After a moment of possession from the visitors just past the quarter-hour mark, the ball was switched over to the right-hand side where Adama Diakhaby headed back across the penalty area to find the late-run of Koroma who slotted the ball beautifully into the bottom left corner.
It was third-time lucky for Koroma after his first two efforts at goal failed to cause any real concern for the Lions.
Moments later, Murray Wallace had to block another Koroma effort as the Lions struggled to regain their composure after falling behind.
The game became scrappy from here on out as both teams tried to cement a firm foothold on the game.
The home side slowly came back into the contest just before the interval as Mahoney diverted Wallace’s low cross towards the bottom right corner, only for Hamer to get down well and push the ball to safety.
The Gaps Opened Up
Millwall came out for the second half with a much more positive mind-set with a high press once again causing Huddersfield a few problems. A deflected Ryan Leonard effort and a Jed Wallace strike that went wide did little to trouble what was a resolute Terriers defence.
The visitors could have had a second and third either side of the hour mark with gaps opening up in the midfield as the Lions chased that all elusive equaliser, but both Diakhaby’s and Isaac Mbenza’s efforts were drilled just wide of the post.
Bialkowski denied Koroma twice in quick succession as the game entered the final 15 minutes as Cooper sliced wide a rare second-half effort on goal for the home side.
With the visitors still pushing for a second, Pipa cut in on his right-side before unleashing a shot that sailed just over the bar. Moments later, a similar effort proved to be too much to handle for Bialkowski as he parried Pipa’s effort into the air with the ball bouncing just over the line despite the Millwall keeper’s best effort’s to claw it away.
As Millwall continued to chase the game into added time, the visitors made it three when Juninho Bacuna slipped through Lewis O’Brien who casually slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Rowett Returns On Monday
With Millwall manager Gary Rowett still self-isolating after testing positive for Coronavirus, club captain Alex Pearce along with Shaun Williams and under-23 manager Kevin Nugent once again took the helm.
Afterwards, Pearce said; “We’re bitterly disappointed. I felt that we started the game very slowly, the first 15 minutes especially.
“I was pleased with the way we were playing towards the end of the first half, just moving it with more intensity, the way we were pressing, the way we were passing the ball and more on the front foot.
“I was pleased with the way that we responded to the goal and I thought we had a go in the second half, without causing them any real difficulty at the back.
“That’s the other disappointing thing from today; that it was our end-product where we let ourselves down.”
Rowett is due to return to take training on Monday 2nd November as the Lions face a tough away trip to Carrow Road to face Norwich City on Tuesday night.
